


Steadfast

by WildAndFreeHearts



Category: Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons)
Genre: Companions, Episode: s02e03-04 Tabula Rasa, F/M, Gen, Love/Hate, One-Sided Attraction, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-02
Updated: 2014-07-02
Packaged: 2018-02-07 03:34:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1883790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WildAndFreeHearts/pseuds/WildAndFreeHearts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lex and Mercy's dynamic is definitely less than ideal, but somehow it still works.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Steadfast

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MiraMira](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiraMira/gifts).



Though at first Lex had tried his best to ignore it, he really was truly upset that Mercy was still at his side. It was annoying sometimes how obedient she was – like some dumb beast that he need only use simple single word commands to control. But no, that wasn’t completely true, was it? Mercy was still rebellious to him on some level – she had proven as much when she had laughed at his apparent collapse, had shown it in the sadistic gleam in her eyes as she told him that she would take over Lex Corp. in the inevitable event of his death. But in the end, with some slight pressure, she had still told him where he could find Ivo – or where she had assumed Ivo could be located, at any rate.

Little had she known that she had pointed him down the path of a much more rewarding prize than some simple mechanical repairs. Now he had AMAZO under his thumb. The injured old man routine he ran on the android was hilarious. The damned thing was possibly the least smart thing Ivo had ever created, and Lex was pretty sure the man had once built a toaster. Conning AMAZO into stealing what he needed as well as attacking the Justice League was a piece of cake – a wince here, a sob story there, some good old fashioned guilt over poor dead Ivo and Lex had the android right where he wanted him.

And then Mercy had to go show up and ruin his good mood. Her very presence set his skin to a slow crawl – the feeling decidedly reminding him that he was creeping and inching closer to dead every second. He really didn’t want to spend his last moments listening to her complain and mouth-breathe all of the intelligence out of the room. Then AMAZO had returned… without having destroyed the Justice League. It was even more incompetent than Lex had given it credit for. He played his shtick up again and got the hunk of junk back on track. Of course the instant that AMAZO was gone, Mercy once again railed on in her emotional tirade of nagging. So he showed her the android’s kill switch. Then he pretended to flirt with her for good measure. Finally she was quiet. The silence, as he got back to work on his suit, was like a blessing.

\---

Mercy was no fool, though she was sure that certain people - people like Superman - might believe her to be. If she could be blamed for anything, it was loving a man who clearly did not truly love her back – a fault not so uncommon at all.

She couldn’t stand that he thought so little of her. Ever since he had pulled her off the streets all those years ago and made a proper business woman of her, she had always wanted to show him that she was worthy. She may have raised Lex Corp. by 38%, but she knew deep down in her heart of hearts that Lex wouldn’t give up so easily… she had made that 38% for him. And he had let her have her moment of vindication, before breaking her down again. Most would think the fact that she subjected herself to such things was unhealthy. But being with Lex was what she wanted, even if he didn’t care for her.

But just because she was willingly blind to that trouble, didn’t mean she didn’t know something bad when she saw it. And the shifty robot who had tried to hit her was definitely bad news. She really did try to explain her misgivings to Lex about the machine, but as usual he thought her worries to be boring and trivial.

And suddenly, just as she had predicted, things had all gone horribly wrong. She almost wanted to scream ‘I told you so.’ right in his big, dumb, genius face.

\---

The Daily Planet, along with the rest of the city, apparently didn’t really know what had actually gone down, other than the fact that there had been reports of thefts and property damages, and sightings of a giant robot, Lex Luthor in a super-suit and the Justice League. The bold title of that day’s paper proclaimed _‘Continuing Confusing Cape Capers!’_ , which almost made her smile. The speculations of what all that had actually occurred that night, coupled with what most people had merely claimed to have seen were rampant, as stories conserving the Justice League were usually wont to be. The paper was absolutely clear on one thing however – Lex Luthor was now in prison.

Mercy sighed as she spread the page she was on a little wider, before dropping it unceremoniously onto her desk. Company stock had dropped back down after this latest fiasco, and yet again, she was the one left to juggle all of the problems that Lex had left in his wake. There wasn’t even that android around to take any of the blame.

These were the times that Mercy really detested – being alone, waiting in anxious boredom for Lex to contact her for help in the start some new scheme. Because of course she knew he’d always come back, just like last time, the time before that, and all the other times. Thinking that now she does smile, but it's just a bit sad and broken around the edges.

\---

Lex set in his cell calmly, thinking through his next plan, working out all of the possible faults. He would be out of prison soon enough and he’d be ready to take on the Justice League. He’d make Superman pay for the taint in his blood, even if it was the last thing he ever did.

And although her blind loyalty agitated him greatly, he knew that Mercy would be ready and waiting to help him in whatever way he needed, once he put his plans of destruction to action. He knew that she would always be there when he called. He knew that when he needed assistance she would always be right there at his side, where she belonged.


End file.
